KOREA SUCCESSFULLY TESTS SPACE LAUNCHER

[Anchor Lead]

Korea has successfully tested a space launcher powered by solid fuel that was developed using domestic technologies last year. The feat is expected to pave the way for developing launch vehicles for launching small satellites into space.

[Pkg]

A space rocket powered by solid fuel blasts off into space. It flies through the atmosphere, enters space and successfully separates its payload fairings, which protect the satellite. The separation and a dummy satellite release ensues. The first test of a space vehicle powered by solid fuel was a success. It was developed using domestic technologies only. The South Korean military stepped up the development of space rockets after Korea-U.S. missile guidelines restricting the use of launch vehicles powered by solid fuel were terminated last May. The feat comes eight months after a successful engine combustion test was conducted last July. Solid fuel is more cost-effective. It's also easier to use and mass-produce than liquid fuel. Moreover, it allows for swift launches.

[Soundbite] Prof. Chang Young-keun(Korea Aerospace Univ.) : "When using liquid fuel, it takes a while to inject fuel and oxidizer. This makes us vulnerable to foreign surveillance. The use of solid fuel helps prevent that, as propellants are always inside the missiles in solid state."

The military plans to develop small satellites and launch them in 2025. A launch site for solid-fuel space rockets is currently under construction at the Naro Space Center. The technologies will be transferred to the private sector as well. The government apparently disclosed the successful outcome of the test without a prior notice as a response to Pyongyang's recent ICBM launch. The Defense Ministry says the test serves as an important milestone in bolstering the military's independent space-based recon capabilities amid the grave national security situation caused by North Korea's provocations.